Rhode Island Department of Education
Lesson Plan
Lesson Title: Molecular Orbitals

State Standards: (GLEs/GSEs)
GSE - PS1 (9-11) - 4

National Standards:


Context of Lesson:
This lesson will be after a lesson on bond dissociation and resonance. The class will also have learned covalent bonds in the classes before bond dissociation and resonance. In this class the students will be introduced to molecular orbitals.

Opportunities to Learn:
Depth of Knowledge:


Prerequisite Knowledge:
  • Periodic Table
  • Electron configuration
  • Bonding

Plans for Differentiating Instruction:


Accommodations and modifications:


Environmental factors:


Materials:

Objectives:
  • The students will describe and draw s and p orbitals.
  • The students will describe and draw the interaction between orbitals which forms bonds.

Instruction:
Opening:
  • Review.
    • What types of bonds we have learned about.
    • How the different bonds effect things like bond dissociation energy.
  • In this class we will look at what bonds look like.
    • The molecular orbitals.
    • How they interact to form bonds.

Engagement:
  • Review
    • S orbitals.
      • Spherical shape.
      • Show illustrations.
    • P orbitals.
      • Dumbbell-shaped.
        • Px, Py, Pz
      • Show illustrations.
      • Have a node.
        • What is a node?
    • If electrons are so small why are these orbitals so big in comparison?
      • Remember the Heisenberg uncertainty principle?
        • Get students responses.
          • It that states: that it is impossible to know exactly both the velocity and position of a particle at the same time.
  • Sigma bonds.
    • Show illustrations.
    • Involved with single, double, and triple bonds.
  • Pi bonds.
    • Involved in double and triple bonds.
      • Hybrid orbitals.
        • Show illustrations.
        • Hybridize to move into a position to double and triple bond.
          • The bond is formed above and below the sigma bond.

Closure:
  • Recap the class discussion.
    • This is very abstract so you will need to review this.
  • Remind the students that there will be a classroom activity tomorrow and to be ready to think.

Assessment:
This will be assessed on the unit exam.

Reflections:
(only done after lesson is enacted)


Student Work Sample 1 – Approaching Proficiency:

Student Work Sample 2 – Proficient:

Student Work Sample 3 – Exceeds Proficiency: